


adventures in censorship

by labyrinth_lockpick



Series: Post-Game AU [4]
Category: HLVRAI - Fandom, Half-Life VR But The AI Is Self Aware
Genre: Black Mesa Sweet Voice, M/M, Memory Loss, Post Game AU, ao3 please let me add new parts to a series i'm begging you, no beta we die like men and this tag is long as hell to fill space, you know the drill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:47:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27174742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/labyrinth_lockpick/pseuds/labyrinth_lockpick
Summary: Tommy and Gordon need to have a little talk. Meanwhile, Benrey gets some time alone.
Relationships: Benrey & Gordon Freeman, Benrey & Tommy Coolatta, Benrey/Gordon Freeman
Series: Post-Game AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1919146
Comments: 16
Kudos: 84





	1. shenanigans ensue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benrey sneaks around a little, but some information can't be found with a Google search.

By the time he'd crept out of his room, Tommy had left. Sunkist sat at the door, whining quietly. She turned to look at him only briefly before continuing to stare forward, waiting for her owner to return.

On the counter was a note, hastily written on a napkin. It read, _"Sorry, Benrey! I'll be back in a little bit. I'm going out to talk to Mr. Freeman, but I'll bring back something to eat when we're done. I'm leaving Sunkist behind to watch you. :)"_

There was something else scribbled out after that, something that began with "Please don't".

Benrey looked back to Sunkist, who was still pitifully facing the door. _Doing a great job of watching me._ He thought. He didn't like doing that.

God dammit, only a few days out of that mind-sapping void and he was already sick of thinking. 

Still, his last conversation bounced around in his head some more...

He flapped his arms, hands closed tight into fists as he scrunched his eyes shut and thought aloud. "okay. alright. this is fine. where do you find out about stuff you don't know?"

And so he discovers that Tommy's laptop can hide shit from him, too.

The swivel chair creaks as his foot taps, his hands hovering over the keyboard. Maybe he should start things off simple. 

_what is black mesa._

Benrey scrolls through a lot of technical mumbo-jumbo. A facility, something about science... physics, chemistry, biology... boring stuff. Yeah, not exactly a _simple start,_ but whatever. 

The information does give him a feeling of familiarity. Something faintly tugging him towards the topic. Strange.

_benrey._

The first thing that comes up is something about writing. Definitely not on-topic. Writing isn't science at all.

_ what do you do when you cant remember anything. _

Yeah, he's pretty sure staying organized isn't going to tell him about Black Mesa. Also, it sounds really boring.

_the void._

Just a horror movie.

He closes it down with an irritated groan. Of _course_ it wouldn't be _that_ easy. He should have known his mission was doomed the second the laptop let him in without a password screen. Seriously, Tommy really needs to do something about that.

Benrey gets up from the seat and turns to leave, stopping in the doorway. He turns to give the computer one final, thoughtful glare. "maybe gordon's right. maybe i'm not ready."

But really, how much can he trust Gordon? He doesn't miss how the others jump when he moves too fast. He can hear the caution in their voices when they talk to him.

Still, despite those points, something in Benrey's gut tells him that Gordon's trustworthy. The more time he spends around him, the more he feels... warm? His face gets warm, his hands get warm, and it gets hard to breathe. 

Why is this feeling so familiar? It's a softer sort of familiar, unlike the unsettling type he feels when he reads "Black Mesa" or startles Tommy.

Maybe he should ask about it when they get back. Until then, he should probably get out of Tommy's room.


	2. apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tommy and Gordon finally have an important talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is so short! once i get back in the swing of things i'll make this series my bitch, cross my heart

The car shudders as Tommy twists the key in the ignition. "It's alright if you're having second thoughts about having Benrey over, Mr. Freeman."

"No, no it's fine. I... I don't mind him."

Tommy looks tired, turning slightly to look at Gordon, who sits in the passenger's seat. "You _just_ stormed outside after s-saying that he shouldn't know anything about who he used to be. To his f-face."

"Ah. I _did_ do that, didn't I." He hides his face in his hands.

"It's f-fine. You just made a mistake, is all. You do owe Benrey a-an apology, though."

"Figured as much, yeah."

As they pull out of their street, Gordon sighs. "I _don't_ care about having him around, Tommy, don't get me wrong. I know he fucked me up, bad. But we can't leave him alone after all of that. God, I couldn't stand being in that place for a minute, I can't imagine being in there for..." He trails off.

Tommy's eyes are still set on the road. "...I-I think you're right, Mr. Freeman. No one should go through... th-that."

"But doesn't it feel _wrong_?" Gordon throws his hands up. "After all that, after what he did- what we did? He died, and _we_ killed him. Doesn't that just feel wrong, even if he's not the same person, anymore?

"He's s-still the same person."

He looks confused. "Huh?"

"Same person. Just different memories." Tommy's grip on the steering wheel tightens a little. "...And _I_ didn't want to kill him. I-I'm glad he's back. Even if he's like this."

"...I don't care that he's back."

"You don't need to lie." Tommy glances at Gordon. "I-It's okay to care. But he needs to know a-about who he is, or he won't trust us a-anymore."

"Yeah."

"..."

"...I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"I a-accept your apology." They pull into the Taco Bell drive-thru, and he squints at the menu board. "...but what the fuck is a Dragonfruit Freeze?"

Sunkist barks and runs in circles as the door cracks open and two sets of footsteps fill the kitchen.

"Benrey, w-we're back!"

Tommy stops in his tracks as something catches his attention. Gordon turns back after locking the door and peeks around him.

"'Scuse me, Tommy."

"Shh, shh, shh, Mr. Freeman, _look_! Listen."

They stand in the kitchen as something floats through the doorway. A small orb, shedding a sky-blue glow onto the walls. Several more follow and begin to circle the room. One lands on Sunkist's nose and bursts, causing the dog to sneeze.

Tommy deposits the food on the table before cautiously stepping into the next doorway, looking upon the source of it all. The rest of the blue orbs are beginning to dissolve away on their own, making way for a collection of cloudier gray ones. And he knows exactly what they mean.

A figure stands in the middle of the living room, facing away from them, and an even, low hum rolls through the room.

Gordon whispers from behind Tommy, "Oh, my God." 

"A strong sky blue, just really confused." He murmurs. "Clouds in December mean there's something I..."

Benrey turns to look at them, a wonderstruck look on his face.

"... _hey_."

**Author's Note:**

> sorry this took so long, y'all, school's been kicking my ASS. i hope to get a better schedule in soon!


End file.
